Is it just me or Thunder became a bit better? MORE GOLDS!!!

I happen to be lucky enough to be able to experience the feeling of being a Reporter who does his bit for the community. This Issue marks six months of my Reportership, more or less. I want to share the stuff that makes it so different, unique and precious in its own way, and maybe even motivate you to apply to join our Newspaper team for the chance to savor all the relishes that come with Reporter position. Banter Ah, yeah! There's one notorious thing that always spices up the atmosphere in the squad. If I were to choose just one reason why to join the team besides passion for writing, I would go with the ever-present banter coming hand-in-hand with the job. I am convinced that we're a really easy-going bunch who love to throw few jokes around. "Humor is mankind's greatest blessing." Mark Twain Unfortunately, I can't provide an example of the behind-the-scenes banter because I am unable to pick just one (and partly due to my last-second finish!), but I guarantee that good humour reigns over the Reporters. You can join the banter in the group and relax from the starch of real life. It's invaluable to have a place to ease up any tension; a lax place that provokes the discussion and creation of article ideas. Communication The ability to converse fluently with readers, and people in general, is immensely important in both Tanki Online and real life. You can be the smartest person this world ever had, but if you ain't able to arrange a conversation with others, you won't make it very far. You must learn how to present your views and opinions, how to speak to different kind of people, what words to choose in contact and select an adequate approach towards the reader. The Newspaper presented me the opportunity to try and test my English communication skills in a whole lot of different situations. I am naturally an introverted person who has had problems with establishing dialogues in real life. I know this environment can't possibly simulate real world communication, and of course online communication is very different to real personal contact, but I feel that starting here as a Reporter grants me courage to better my linguistic skills in interaction with others. Decency Long before my Reporter heydays, I used to be a very impulsive person in numerous situations that sprang up while playing Tanki Online. Rarely, when something did not go my way or my belief utterly differed, I switched to semi-rage mode and turned to an arrogant fool who vented his inner frustration on anything that crossed his path without thinking about the consequences. I wouldn't exactly say I was some extreme violator or anything, but there were times I happen to be a bit obnoxious. As time wore on, I learned to control my feelings more precisely and I guess the Reporter job helped me with this. As you may or may not know, being a game representative (a.k.a. Helper) comes with an obligation to behave and act in a certain manner. Obligated to do so, I perceive things differently and look at them from other angles before judging or making rash moves. Enjoyable Pastime Activity I ought to be honest. I never believed the thought that I am destined for the path of a writer. This particular activity wasn't something I would indulge in under normal circumstances - I must say that anything 'essay-like' was always a huge drag in my eyes. However, things changed the minute I stumbled upon the TO Newspaper. I still remember the time when I slowly immersed into its content for the first time. The idea of publishing a written piece coming from longtime TO experience engaged me. At the beginning, I considered joining the Newspaper team purely as a challenge. Becoming a Helper who writes articles in a foreign language without natural expertise in this department (as English is not my first language) seemed a worthy goal. When I finally got in, this challenge became to transform into a passion, and I fell in love with it. Not only do I get to write articles about the game I like, but also I do things that I really enjoy; things I found myself in. Gradual Evolution and Learning 'Mai splling, grammar end overall nowledge of Inglish language improved radikally' On more serious note, one of the things I value the most about the Reporter job is the opportunity to be in permanent contact with English. As someone who was not born a native English speaker, I find writing articles to be immensely helpful for my continuous improvement, 'specially now after graduating and with no other significant contact with English at all. I don't have the nerve to call myself a perfect writer or speaker just because I gained Reporter status. I honestly do not anticipate perfectionism radiating from every single word or sentence I write, but I really am thankful for every small leap towards betterment that I made because of this position. Frankly, being a Reporter does not provide only a footing for improvement in the basics of writing or sentence structuring. There are many more possibilities to grow and develop present here, starting with the game and its mechanics and ending with basis of the teamwork and social interaction. I find this invaluable whether you were born in the US or somewhere in the backwoods of Eastern Europe. New Experience At some point in time, my Tanki Online career got into the blind alley. The rank-ups concluded with that famed last kill and I managed to refine my tank shed with decent weaponry. There were a few gaming possibilities lying in the wait, but nothing really piqued my interest. Endless collecting of equipment and micro-upgrading just did not satisfy my needs, which brought about the thought of trying something a bit different. Being an avid reader and frequent contest participant, I deemed this out-of-the-ordinary activity to be at least as challenging as any gaming goals I set before. After all those months of writing articles here in the Newspaper, I still find this job highly inspiring. Taking on the Reporter job opened a considerable number of doors with whole new things to explore, things I would never know about if I was not a member of the Newspaper team. Providing Help and Advice Reality check! It would be exaggerated to call ourselves the ultimate helping force operating in the Tanki Online environment. Still, if at least a few lost souls find our articles somehow useful, it's all worth the effort. It's absolutely amazing through how many forms you can satisfy the reader. Whether it's advice from a good guide, a smirk conjured by awkward joke or that contest winning happiness. It gives that warm feeling of contentment and helpfulness that can't be bought with crystals. In addition, ever since I gained the Reporter status, I noticed an increase in random requests for help. Honestly speaking, it can be annoying at times when players address you with stuff that ain't in your competence. But, if you like to provide help to others, the Reporter team is the place for you! Responsibilities Did I go insane when I considered additional obligations as a positive thing? This question should remain unanswered! The thing is, all of us have to take our lives into our own hands and take on responsibility sooner or later. Whether it's schoolwork, household duties or a job, we gradually gain more and more responsibility in our lives. I believe it's very important to realize we won't stay young, trouble-free children forever. As a Reporter, constancy in topic and article generation, meeting the deadlines, communication with readers and being an all-out creative person who's always ready to come with something new are just few of the responsibilities to name. I don't mean to dissuade, though. Becoming a Reporter won't make you a slave of obligations, but it may help you to grow into a more liable and confident person. Teamwork Another practically essential element, without which we would never be able to create the Newspaper at its current level of quality. Teamwork is the absolutely necessary foundation stone for the continuous creation of the Paper. Every member acts his own important part, but all the magic behind the scenes happens thanks to the co-operation and planning. I like to think that every article is, to a certain degree, the collective result of multiple teammates starting with the writer and ending with our proofreaders and designer. We always co-operate to bring you the best. There's always someone in the team who's got your back, someone who's always there to discuss, advise and help with any concern. Certainly, I acquired a lot of experience while working with a team consisting of various personalities. Wage and Other Benefits The time has come to uncover the truth about our payments. For every published article, we receive a total of CENSORED crystals. * * * @GoldRock: Sorry guys, I had to step in and hide this highly confidential information. It's for Reporter eyes only and that's how it should remain. As punishment, Flexoo shall be banished to the darkest department of the Newspaper Archives, where he will have the whole room to himself so he can ruminate over his own foolishness! @Flexoo: :c ... At least I tried! Anyways... Crystal pay belongs to a range of the prominent volunteers' benefits. For some tankers, it's an integral part of the job without which they would never apply in the first place - others take it more as a welcome seasoning naturally coming with the status. Truthfully, you can earn a decent amount of crystals doing this job, but I would like to contradict the conviction popular with many tankers that we are millionaires or that we get crystals, paint and avatar just for getting into the team. As long as you perform your role in the team you are adequately rewarded and can use all the benefits offered, but we do have to work for this! Reporters' Opinions I am really bad at transitions, but in the attempt to provide a broader spectrum of opinions, I asked my colleagues to share their opinion on the matter so that you can weigh in their perspectives. Check out their responses below. What do you consider to be the most interesting about the Reporter job? @GoldRock, Reporter Administrator: I would say that the most interesting aspect of the job is the people I get the opportunity to work with. Teamwork and communication are really important parts of what we do, and the friendships I have established along the way (even having met one former colleague in real life) are perhaps the best thing I'll take away from my involvement in the Newspaper. So yeah, while the job itself is very rewarding and has helped me in developing a wide range of skills, that's probably been the best aspect of my experience with the Newspaper since I first joined over 3.5 years ago. , EN Reporter: In my opinion, this job has to be the best job, ever. I mean literally, there is so much to do in a very short amount of time. Your fellow Reporters chat, greet and help you in any way they can. Apart from that, and the wage, there are many layers of awesomeness within this job, the likes of which you can't find in any other. Oh, and by the way, we always, always bother Goldi and blame the NS. #Reporter4Ever <33 @Shedinja, EN Reporter: One of the key elements that keeps the EN Newspaper position interesting is, obviously, the perpetual happenings of the game itself and how they affect us. From a player's standpoint, one can only participate in said events and changes (be they large or minute) through just Tanki Online and its diverse forums, but for the Newspaper team to construct an article surrounding the items, we must understand every facet of them. This involves rigorous study through standard play, extensive and concise testing, and examination of other players' feedback of their experiences. Not only must we adapt to these through our writings and topic selections, but with some lateral thinking, these developments can branch off and result in some of the most unorthodox but intriguing article concepts. This guarantees that there's never not something for us to write about. , EN Reporter: The most interesting part of being a reporter, for me at least, is twofold (insert trademark bry over-explanation here ©2016). Firstly, the team is great, even Remult isn't as bad as some people say. We have had a recent surge, and everyone has been extremely welcoming to me. Despite the spamchat teasing, the whole community is fantastic. It is always enjoyable to be in conversation with them. The other major part is, for me, the teamwork that comes with the job. Yes, there is a difference for all you skeptics, and it gives me a reason to write more. I'm a part of three teams on the "job", the main reporter team (duh), the AWC helper team (duhx2), and the proofreading team. Though I'm stuck with both Pdox and Shed on all of them, I enjoy helping out the reporter group as a whole, and doing it with friends makes all the better. Also, ditto to what Shed, Pdox and Goldmult said above, I completely agree with them. Although some of the Reporters did not express their detailed opinion on what makes the job interesting for 'em, they at least left a hint in the form of short messages: Who are these two mystery Reporters? Well, I will leave this to your deducing skills and imagination! And that's all I, ehm we, have to share on this subject with you tankers! We presented you with the aspects that make our daily Reporter lives interesting, and I hope you found this lil' insight into the job refreshing. We look forward to hearing from you!

Yes, you will have to post it with account that played the match or play a new match on your Richarz123 account.

Take a picture of your creation and post the picture here in the topic.

Judging criteria are mentioned in the topic.

Yes, you can use lego as well.

^ One of the two is not so rare in the servers. Choose the rarer one.

0

^ Hello, these are pictures from September photoshoot with Cedric where I believe Godmode was not present.

The link is no longer accessible as the system recently changed. You can find more info on how to become reporter here.

I was able to join for last 4 - 5 mins. Count: 2 Gold Boxes dropped and two captured :p

1. Yes you can do both. 2. Time limit is not important. Only requirements are fund and capacity as stated in the main contest post.

Bugs, you would not enjoy my singing. It's worse than any torture technique ever devised.

The results have already been published here.

Post mini-giveaway screenshots in this topic.

^ It's not necessity, but you can include photos from different angles.

Golds from this and last week :)

No, hand drawing won't be considered.

If you mean computer 3D model - no, those will not be accepted.

No problem :).

^ Thank you. Fixed :).

This October appears as a month of turning points in the Newspaper and game itself. We bid farewell to several notable authors this month, but more importantly, we recruited three promising men of letter who will hopefully turn to new, supportive peers of the English Newspaper. Join me in this interview as we find out more about the Reporter newcomers. Bigtimerush_bry A firm penman who's been writing all around the Tanki Online Forum for quite some time now. Bry possesses an enviable game knowledge in a relatively low rank which he effectively recasts into some absorbing articles. Throughout his relatively long writing career, he has managed to produce a couple of thought-provoking, informative articles, and has rightfully earned his place in the official English Newspaper. Flexoo: Hey Bigtimerugby! Let's start things up. Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself? Bry: Of course! I am a 17 year old junior in high school (obviously) and I live in a Suburb of Boston MA. I play the cello, been playing for about 8 years, and am in three separate orchestras. I just became and Eagle in the BSA and am very active in my church's youth group. Flexoo: The reporter's musical instrument group just gained another member. How did a guy producing a peaceful sound on cello come across Tanki's fierce battling environment? Bry: Back in Freshman year, the school decided to give every student a Chromebook to use for "school purposes only". Naturally that failed, and somehow my classmates found TO. I saw them playing it in class, because at that point we had no web restrictions, and I said "huh, cool" then promptly opened up some random game. A week or two later, we had (thank God) a sub in math. So I decided to bite the bullet, "What game is that" and thus started my obsession with this game. My first account was Brendantr1, and then made a new account, this current one, using my initials BTR. So no, I am not a fan of the actual band, I prefer metal and punk rock. Flexoo: Ah I see, your humble start in TO was a matter of very lucky coincidence. You mentioned you are obsessed with Tanki, but your current rank kind of contradicts your words. You must be the type of guy who rather hangs on the Forum. Still, I bet you enjoy some tanking action. What is your favorite thing about TO gameplay? Furthermore, what are your choices when it comes to equipment, maps and modes? Bry: Well, I ranked up to Warrant 1 in about a month. I never really had crystal problems, so that wasn't why. Basically, I became too obsessed. Though recently I have taken up playing again, and plan to continue to do so. My favorite part about the gameplay though is definitely how varied each battle is from each other. You never know what you'll get when joining a battle. A team of nugs or pros, and the enormous amounts of combinations. My favorite piece of equipment is my lovely M2 XP (Jessie), though I have recently taken to Smoky. I plan on getting a Smoky kit in the next round of sales. As for modes, I'll play anything, so long as it is a good match; uneven games are just boring. For maps, I have a special love for Red Alert, Tribute, and Skylark, while always enjoying the ever present Polygon CPs and Kungurs. I don't like Duel though, not a fun map. Flexoo: You're missing a lot! There's nothing alike the dynamic Duel face-off! Speaking of gameplay, you sure have much to explore considering you're just Lieutenant Colonel right now. What's the reason behind your temporary suspension of gaming progress and increase of interest in Forum and writing itself? Please reveal more about your path from your first writing steps on the Forum till the moment you eventually joined the reporter team! Bry: I initially stopped round Christmas of last year, because I noticed that I had played too much and other work was suffering because of it. So I made a goodbye topic and resolved to do better. And I did. I basically ignored the game for about a month or two, before popping back onto the forum. I joined the forum because I wanted to read Kirby's piece on Railgun vs. Shaft, two turrets I couldn't decide between at the time, and looked for the newspaper for a few months, being the only forum of use. That was two years ago. I soon began to explore the wide expanses of the forum . Writing, on the other hand, is not always something I enjoy doing. School basically left a sour taste in my mouth, but the possibility of crystal bonuses lead to my first entry in the second round of continue the story. I then put in a reporter application cause I wanted crystals, which was my motivation for the first few months and later joined TWG to gain more experience in writing. It turned out people actually like what I wrote, so I continued to write. I soon found out I enjoyed writing for TO and it became much more than just crystals. I left TWG before its fall and created my own writing topic about a month before AWC started. I decided to join AWC, and for a few months I watched friends become reporters. Fortunately, I was later accepted as a reporter. Flexoo: That's one comprehensive reply! Now when you mentioned it, Amateur Writing Section (AWC) is going strong for almost half year now and you were able to experience it from both sides - as an AWC writer and as the section's helper. What do you consider to be the best thing about the AWC for you? Why did you sign for the job of the AWC assistant? Do you have any plans for projects or ideas for the section as whole? Bry: The best part about AWC, for me at least, was it was the first time people actually criticized and edited my work. In the past it had just been whatever you wrote would be published, and AWC really pushed me to get better and better, and the ability to work with actual reporters is a huge a plus. NS actually knew what she was doing, and Gold just multed around. so while it was somewhat annoying to see some AWC friends make it before me, it was an overall good experience. I became and AWC assistant because I wanted to help out the section that helped me out a lot as a whole. It feels good to give back, but it also makes my life hard cause there always seems to be some articles in awaiting approval. I actually have no idea where to go with AWC, I'm still getting used to it and it has been a bit of the changing of the guard this month. Flexoo: You have time to figure something for the AWC gang. Now that you become reporter what articles can we expect to see from your virtual pen? Bry: I've never been good at fiction articles, so expect mostly guides, reviews, and opinion pieces because that is all I can write with any success. If you've read my articles in the past, you'd know that I tend to have polarizing opinions, which I plan to continue, along with my "Under the Dust and Cobwebs" series. I will basically just write what I feel like writing. Flexoo: We look forward to read more news from your repertory. Since we cleared the major questions off the table, let's lighten this interview with a dash of quick 'n' easy questions. How would you describe yourself in one simple sentence? Bry: I am a sinner. Flexoo: Wow, that's really descriptive! Maybe a filmography theme will loosen your tongue. What is your favorite movie and actor/actress? Bry: To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. I've seen too many enjoyable movies and there are quite a few actors I like. It is impossible for me to decide. I know it is a bit of a cop-out, but I have absolutely no idea :P. Flexoo: You're certainly not giving much information out Mr. Mystery Man! But I have one final question. You went through a lot of obstacles and let-downs before joining the team. What would be your words of advice to all the potential candidates out there? Bry: Being a reporter is more than just crystals and entertainment, it is a nice community (excluding remult) and it does take a lot of work to get here. But it is manageable, so listen to feedback, always edit your work and never, ever, do anything less than your best. As long as you keep improving, you will have a better and better shot at making it here. Flexoo: Well put formulation! Thank you for your time Bry. All the best in your new community work! Bry: Thanks for having me! DestroyerPdox Pdox supplied the Forum with lengthy, but sophisticated articles. His map guides and reviews especially caught many a reader's eyes and made us closely watch for this potential Reporter. Later, he joined the Newspaper's Amateur Writing Club and continued in his established trend of producing a well-structured masterpieces that received heaps of positive views. Based on this, we believe he's a fitting new addition to the Newspaper team. Flexoo: Hello Pdox, nice having you here. Can you start by providing some details about you? Pdox: Hi Flex! I'm DestroyerPdox. My real name is Abdullah Wasi and I am 17 years old. I live in Islamabad, Pakistan. I like to no-life in Tanki, as well as some intense football matches. You will probably see me going after those shiny lil' boxes, but that's how I roll. Flexoo: Interesting to find out you play football just like I did few years back. But more importantly, how did you get to learn about your second obsession - Tanki Online? Pdox: It was a stormy night in late 2014, when I was merely flying my Boeing 747 in Microsoft Flight Simulator X, until one of my brothers' friend knocked on the door. Once I opened it, I went back to my rig. After a few minutes, I spotted them on my laptop, engaged in an intense tank game. One look on the screen was just about enough to pull me into this Tankiverse! Flexoo: I really do relate to your story, my relative also drew me to the addictive world of Tanki Online. As a player, you did very well and managed to conquer all the ranks. What's it like to be a 'Gizmo' and what the game looks on this level. Please acquaint us with your gameplay preferences! What equipment you like to wield and what maps we can find you play in? Pdox: It has been a long journey to Generalissimo really - I mean, I can still find myself thinking about the times when I was still a M0 newbie.... Ahh, the days! The gameplay is amazing. People are really cooperative, especially in XP/BP battles, which also turns out to be my specialty. Over the years, I have changed equipment a lot, but mainly focused on Railgun and Hornet. After getting over 500 hours under the belt in this format, I don't even dare looking back. But of course, there are times when I like to snatch a few Gold boxes using the in-built hax of Dictator. I always had a decent gaming computer, which provided me good graphics all along. I was able to enjoy 60 FPS and almost no lag at all throughout my journey to Gissimo. I know this is irrelevant, but this improved my gameplay a lot! It kinda dwelt me into this Game. As for my equipment, I mainly use Hornet and Railgun. I might try out the new DR format, since it literally puts one into bumps, hits, trolls, flips and everything-ending-on-s possible! My favorite maps are Sandbox, Red Alert, Polygon, Bridges, Barda and Zone, but I wont mind a quick little game of Rio, Iran, Noise and Silence either. Flexoo: Classy! One could say that being a reporter comes hand in hand with a natural love for XP. It seems most of us share the passion for this format. I am sure this rich gameplay experience provided a lot of material for your really comprehensive articles. What was the reason behind your start-up as community writer. What were your writing and TO Forum beginnings? Pdox: Hmm, I don't really know... I think it was Issue 44 which got me started into this thing. It was a Describe This In 100 Words' contest, and apparently, I won first place. I then decided to make this my hobby and that is where I got into writing. I had already participated in a lot of school debates and stuff, winning first and second places throughout the years - like in 8th and 9th grade. That gave me a lot of experience as a writer. Plus, the fact that I have gathered so much experience in this game opens up a whole new world for me to write about. I discovered the Forum quite a long time ago - around the start-mid of 2015. I immediately started to explore its contents and sooner than later, discovered the 'Helpers' section. This was another big thing that really got me into writing. I joined TWG quite a while back and posted my first ever guide - It's Time To Excel In: Serpuhov'. It got a lot of positive votes and even your very evil dictator encouraged me to join the Reporters' in the comments. After the opening of the AWC, I saw another golden opportunity. After posting a lot of quality articles, I stand here now - replying to you as a Reporter. Flexoo: Impressive number of personal achievements. You provoke my envy :P. But back on the topic. As an insider I can already confirm you have decent number of ideas for articles. However what are your plans for future? Do you have a specific writing genre that suits you best? What can we expect from you as a reporter? Pdox: Well, I have a lot of experience in the game, and my rank and profile reflects that statement. As such, the readers can definitely expect a lot of map guides and reviews. I have a lot of popular maps in my mind right now, like literally. On the other hand, I am willing to explore more and more of the game, which will further help me write quality guides and reviews about new updates hitting the game anytime soon. So, In a sentence, the readers can expect a lot of map guides, reviews about certain combinations and equipment as well as some interviews, special articles and last but not least, very interesting contests - which happen to be completely unique from the others. Stay tuned! Flexoo: Well rounded answer. I think we can move to final set of quick questions. If you could only use one simple sentence which words would you choose to describe yourself? Pdox: I can dodge your shots people! Flexoo: Ok, that sounds like a challenge to fight everyone! Do you have some sort of superpower or you're just that good? This also brings up the question what superpower would you like to possess? (thnx hog!) Pdox: Hmm. Nice question! I would definitely choose invisibility. I think this best suits me since I am a detective-type person. You blink once and whoosh - I'm gone. But in reality, I'm standing right in front of you, staring you in the eyes. Spooky, ain't I? Flexoo: Yes, indeedy! You chose the popular classic, but fair enough. It's time to wrap this interview up and I stashed one intriguing question for the end. You are in the age where lot of people decide what direction their life will go. Did you already consider which job would be suitable for you? Pdox: Although I haven't taken the ultimate decision, I think I might either join the Pakistan Army and become an officer, or do Chartered Accountancy. Both of them sound really good to me, but I can't help leaving one thing for the other. Flexoo: Notable pursuits mate! I am sure you will sort out this dilemma to your best interest. You still have time to think it through. Thank you for your willingness Pdox, it was great to learn more about your person. All the best with new reporter job! Pdox: Thanks for having me. See ya! Almulty Almulty is another freshman in the EN Newspaper team, and a rather shadowy figure we still do not know too much about. This community member stirred the waters of our interest with a distinguished application which ensured him a spot in the reporter gang. We outbid to uncover more about Almulty with this consequent interview. Flexoo: Hey there Almulty, and welcome! For a start, let's introduce you to our readers! Almulty: Pleased to speak with you, Flexoo. Well, let's see how to start. I am a teenage boy currently living in the Caribbean on an island known as Trinidad. I am also in Form 4, preparing for IGCSEs in future and also manage a competitive sport life. Flexoo: Wow! I bet there aren't many tankers that hail from Trinidad! How did you find about this specific game living in such tropical destination? Almulty: Ah, good question. Around 2-3 years ago, I was playing an online strategy game known as GoodGame Empire and one of my good friends told me to check out the game. So, I logged in to the game through my 6 year old desktop and surprisingly, fell in love with it, particularly due to it's dynamics and engaging game-play. Now of course I got myself a new laptop, and yes, the internet here is quite good to play Tanki on. Flexoo: It seems tankers really do spread the word! Your friend would probably never imagine you would get this far in your TO journey. As a full-fledged Generalissimo, you must have passed through a lot of passages which refined your playing style. Tell us more about your road to Generalissimo and your preferences as a player! Are you the typical XP veteran? What equipment you enjoy to play with and what maps and modes you favor? Almulty: Ok. When I started really getting into the game around the rank of First Lieutenant, I decided to join a clan which required me to become an XP player. At the time I had no idea about this game mode, having spent all my time on EN1-EN3 servers. However, I did have a lot of experience with Railgun because it was always my weapon of preference since WO1. I went to guides in the Newspaper as well as the Wiki which helped me gather and improve my skills with it, but I learned most importantly from experience. Later on at the rank of Brigadier I began using Railgun with Wasp instead of Hornet, and it turned out to be stellar! I much preferred BP over XP as I could get through the map faster, there was less drift present and I loved the idea of dodging my opponents' shots. From there, I played as a BP player in many EN clans and still worked on fine tuning my skills. No, I am probably not the XP veteran or BP veteran but I just would like to say that BP and I...have gone a long way :P. My favorite maps to play XP/BP on would have to be Bridges, Tribute and Barda; I have always been more of a CTF guy, though CP is really fun to play on large maps. Flexoo: High five mate! We are on the same page when it comes to picking between XP and BP. Despite being relatively successful player, I somehow feel you haven't been much active around Forum judging by the number of your posts. When did you come over to Forum and what motivated you to crank up a writing career? Almulty: Hah, partially true. I first got into the forum only about 3 months after I began playing Tanki. However, I used the forum more as a resource than as a social platform, mostly looking at development/eSports news, viewing different clans, and of course, the Press. I didn't begin to post much until I joined a clan and frequented the forum daily. As for the inspiration to become a reporter, there were many things. The reporters are a unique and humble, yet proficient Tanki group of Helpers that I wanted to see if I could be a part of. I had already taken a lot from them, now I would like to return the favor. Flexoo: You made it here on the first shot, but your writing style is still wrapped in mystery. What genre you are exceptional at and what articles can we look forward to read? Almulty: I generally prefer writing guides, but I try to make some pieces as original as possible and add some creativity to it, though I am not too artistic. I also enjoy typing up informative pieces, opinion columns, and reviews on in game events such as a new update of some kind. I have a list of articles planned (but of course not fully written- or even started- yet) on my laptop and they mostly consist of these aspects. Fictional/story writing is not my type of thing though. Flexoo: I see some healthy competition in this department! With that being answered, let's move to the few last questions, shall we. The first thing that caught my eye was your nickname. What inspired you to choose this alias? Almulty: I should have seen this question coming, hah! Well actually, this isn't my first nickname. My first nickname was AstroGuardian (moment of revelation) and I chose this because I am keen on Astronomy and the word "Guardian" just appeals to me. I chose to switch to my current nickname mostly because I was tired of my old one but also because I wanted something short and unique. So one day I decided I would combine two totally contrary terms, Almighty and Mult, to create a nickname that has a nice ring to it. Them bam, Almulty happened. Flexoo: Disappointing a bit, I expected a multing confession from your dark past :ph34r: ! How would you depict yourself in one simple sentence then? Almulty: My dark past shall remain in the dark... *cough* All right I'll do in three words: "Think it through". This basically means that I try not to rush into things or make hasty decisions most of the time, I like to think/plan things out. Flexoo: Aha! So you indeed have a dark past! My curiosity arouses. Let's conclude the interview with one final question. You are already Generalissimo and recently made it to the reporter team. Is there anything else you strive to achieve in TO? Almulty: Indeed, that is to have as much fun as possible. I accomplished mostly everything that I have desired to do but maybe in future I could join a clan with a good timezone to participate in a major eSports competition which has always been a fantasy of mine since I began Tanki. But for now, I am just as happy on the reporter crew and thoroughly look forward to writing with you guys. Flexoo: Oh, we feel the same ;) . Thank you for your contribution Almulty. We wish you everything best with your new role in the Newspaper! Almulty: Thank you Flexoo, I appreciate you havin' me here! Once again, congratulations to all new Reporter candidates on joining the Newspaper team. I hope you will hearty welcome them and check the articles they prepared for you in this Issue. Ultimately, if you can write awesome guides, reviews, stories or other articles and think you got what it takes, you can give it a shot and apply for the Reporter! Lastly, do not forget to leave suggestions for articles in Newspaper Requests. We look forward to hearing more from you!

With another month comes another rare map-promoting contest. Last month's task forced you to decipher the clues before you were able to hop into battles and it honestly did not turn the way I imagined. But, things are different now and I swear here and now that you won't be bothered by clue hunting anytime soon. Your assignment is far more apparent. Simply pick one or two tasks from the task board below and carry out the mission before anyone else does. Each reward can only be claimed once, so be quick! The status of tasks will be periodically updated to make sure you pay attention to tasks that still haven't been completed. Rules: - All submitted tasks must be documented with screenshot(s) matching the requirements. These screenshot(s) MUST be sent ONLY to @Map_Contests via personal message (PM). Entries sent or posted elsewhere will be disregarded. - Every contestant is allowed to pick maximum 2 tasks of his choice. - Make sure your entries meet the screenshot and task's requirements. - You are only allowed to enter with 1 account! Screenshot Requirements: Your screenshots must meet these criteria for the sake of authenticity: - Visible rank bar - author of the screen must be the same as author of the entry. - Time and date - screenshots must be taken after the official start of contest. - Only screenshots showing the final score table are accepted! - Click here to see an example screenshot. Status Clarifications Pending - task has not been completed. Completed - task is completed, winner has been decided. Task Board Task 1 Specification: Win Valley CTF by 4 flag difference or higher with your team. Requirements: Minimum of 5 players present in the final table, minimal fund - 500 crystals, your score must be at least 70 points. Crystal Reward: 10 000 Status: Completed Task 2 Specification: Finish first in Molotov DM with 7 kill lead or higher. Requirements: Minimum of 6 players present in the final table, minimal fund - 400 crystals. Crystal Reward: 10 000 Status: Completed Task 3 Specification: Win Bobruisk CP by 15 or more points. Requirements: Minimum of 7 players present in the final table, minimal fund - 500 crystals, your score must be at least 80 points. Crystal Reward: 15 000 Status: Completed Task 4 Specification: Win Esplanade TDM by 15 or more kills. Requirements: Minimum of 10 players present in the final table, minimal fund - 400 crystals, your score must be at least 100 points. Crystal Reward: 15 000 Status: Completed Task 5 Specification: Earn 400 or more points in Factory map. Requirements: Minimum of 7 players present in the final table. Crystal Reward: 10 000 Status: Completed Task 6 Specification: Earn 500 crystals (excluding crystal bonus) as reward in Opposition map. Requirements: Minimum of 8 players present in the final table. Crystal Reward: 15 000 Status: Completed Task 7 Specification: Finish in Top 3 in Station battle. Requirements: Minimum of 7 players present in the final table, minimal fund - 400 crystals, you must earn at least 100 points. Crystal Reward: 10 000 Status: Completed :excl: Additionally, the first three tankers who submit a valid entry will receive 10,000 crystals as an extra prize. I hope this will at least partially compensate for the previous month's lack of winners! That's all, tankers. Be fast and enjoy your battles! The contest will be over once every single task is completed. Winners will be announced in the next Issue.